UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH SERVICE 
PLANT QUARANTINE DIVISION 
WASHINGTON 25, D. C. 
SUMMARY OF ACTIVITIES, PLANT QUARANTINE DIVISION 
Work Performed During Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 1960 
The first responsibility of the Plant Quarantine Division isto pre- 
vent the entry into the United States of destructive foreign plant 
pests. The Division is also charged with the responsibility of pre- 
venting the spread of pests from offshore U. S. areas to the main- 
land and between such areas and shares in the responsibility for 
preventing the spread of plant pests within the continental United 
States. In addition, inspectors of the Division examine and certify 
American-grown plants and plant products to meet the plant quar- 
antine import requirements of countries of destination. 
To meet these responsibilities, the Division has inspection staffs 
at major ocean, Great Lakes, air, and borderports inthe continen- 
tal UnitedStates and in Hawaii, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Ameri- 
can Virgin Islands. Plant quarantine inspectors at these ports, 
working in cooperation with Customs, examine ships, airplanes, 
vehicles, trains, baggage, and mail to enforce quarantine against 
the entry of foreignpests. They also inspect cargoes of restricted 
material and apply treatments and other safeguards to insure that 
harmful pests are not brought in with such cargoes. In several 
instances plant quarantine clearance is effected inforeigncountries, 
which has the advantage of eliminating pests atorigin-this inclu7s 
the inspection of flower bulbs in a number of European countrie , 
the treatment of citrus and other fruits in Mexico, and the preflight 
inspection of aircraft prior to departure for the United States from 
Nassau. 
The spread of pests is closely associated with the movement of 
people and goods about the world. It does not follow, however, that 
the danger of new foreign pests being introduced into the United 
States is in direct proportion to the volume for foreign traffic and 
commerce entering the country. In) Piscal) Year 1960) aitotalgot 
30,230 lots of plant pests were taken by plant quarantine inspectors 
at ports of entry. This was an increase of 4,934, or 19.5%, over 
the preceding year, arate of increase 6l2times the rate of increase 
in entries of people. Timewise, an important plant pest was pre- 
vented from entering the country at an average of once every 17 
ay ees 
